Jake Sullivan

And our adversaries and competitors are weaker across the board. Russia's weaker. Iran's weaker. China's weaker. And all the while, we kept America out of war. So I think the American people are safer, and the country is better off than we were four years ago.

And our adversaries and competitors are weaker across the board. Russia's weaker. Iran's weaker. China's weaker. And all the while, we kept America out of war. So I think the American people are safer, and the country is better off than we were four years ago.

And our adversaries and competitors are weaker across the board. Russia's weaker. Iran's weaker. China's weaker. And all the while, we kept America out of war. So I think the American people are safer, and the country is better off than we were four years ago.

Are our alliances stronger than we found them four years ago? Yes. Are our enemies and competitors weaker than when we found them four years ago? Yes. Have we kept the United States out of war? Yes. Are the basic foundations of American power more robust and resilient today than four years ago? Yes. So I believe we are handing off a very strong hand to the next team.

Are our alliances stronger than we found them four years ago? Yes. Are our enemies and competitors weaker than when we found them four years ago? Yes. Have we kept the United States out of war? Yes. Are the basic foundations of American power more robust and resilient today than four years ago? Yes. So I believe we are handing off a very strong hand to the next team.

Are our alliances stronger than we found them four years ago? Yes. Are our enemies and competitors weaker than when we found them four years ago? Yes. Have we kept the United States out of war? Yes. Are the basic foundations of American power more robust and resilient today than four years ago? Yes. So I believe we are handing off a very strong hand to the next team.

Well, first, during that campaign, I remember distinctly one episode where I went to Ohio to speak to a group of supporters. And in the course of my remarks, I referred to the liberal international order talking about the future of the world and so forth. And somebody came up to me afterwards and said, I don't know what the liberal international order is, but I don't like any of those three words.

Well, first, during that campaign, I remember distinctly one episode where I went to Ohio to speak to a group of supporters. And in the course of my remarks, I referred to the liberal international order talking about the future of the world and so forth. And somebody came up to me afterwards and said, I don't know what the liberal international order is, but I don't like any of those three words.

And that stuck with me. It stuck with me through the primary, where Hillary Clinton took on Bernie Sanders, and it stuck with me through the general, where Hillary Clinton took on Donald Trump. And I think that there's a variety of reasons why Donald Trump won in 2016, and I don't have a unified theory.

And that stuck with me. It stuck with me through the primary, where Hillary Clinton took on Bernie Sanders, and it stuck with me through the general, where Hillary Clinton took on Donald Trump. And I think that there's a variety of reasons why Donald Trump won in 2016, and I don't have a unified theory.

But I do think one important dimension of it was that people looked at the global financial crisis and and the aftermath and said, this economy is not working for me. And they looked at America's position in the world, and they said, part of why this economy is not working for me is that American foreign policy is not sufficiently focused on the needs of working people.

But I do think one important dimension of it was that people looked at the global financial crisis and and the aftermath and said, this economy is not working for me. And they looked at America's position in the world, and they said, part of why this economy is not working for me is that American foreign policy is not sufficiently focused on the needs of working people.

And that was something that I took away as a main lesson of 2016.

And that was something that I took away as a main lesson of 2016.

Well, Ezra, I do think I would have said yes, but I think I would have paused for a second and reflected before saying yes, because it wouldn't have been instinctive. Because when I sat around the Situation Room table during the Obama years, the question wasn't frequently put on the table in the Situation Room, hey, what does this mean for working people, working families in the United States?

Well, Ezra, I do think I would have said yes, but I think I would have paused for a second and reflected before saying yes, because it wouldn't have been instinctive. Because when I sat around the Situation Room table during the Obama years, the question wasn't frequently put on the table in the Situation Room, hey, what does this mean for working people, working families in the United States?

And so I do think President Obama pursued a progressive economic agenda. But one striking thing is that his domestic economic policy looked a lot different from George W. Bush's, but his international economic policy really didn't. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, for example, was a Bush-era trade initiative that President Obama carried forward.

And so I do think President Obama pursued a progressive economic agenda. But one striking thing is that his domestic economic policy looked a lot different from George W. Bush's, but his international economic policy really didn't. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, for example, was a Bush-era trade initiative that President Obama carried forward.

So yes, I do think President Obama cared deeply about the American middle class, but I don't think We were as attuned to the needs of the American middle class in the Situation Room as we should have been. Now, your question is, what does that mean substantively? For me, it means four things.

So yes, I do think President Obama cared deeply about the American middle class, but I don't think We were as attuned to the needs of the American middle class in the Situation Room as we should have been. Now, your question is, what does that mean substantively? For me, it means four things.